Arranged Marriage

“I am really nervous Ma, I don’t know what all should I be asking, or talking …”

Her Mother stifled a giggle, hugged her daughter, and said “Zahera, any man will be lucky to have you, just be yourself alright?”

Zahera was 25, single, and independent. Did she want to marry??? No and yes!! NO, because, she believed that one day she would run into her prince charming, and then Love would blossom, she craved for a Love marriage rather than an arranged.

He was sitting dressed casually in a striped shirt and blue denim jeans, equally tensed, but was good at hiding that fact. He hadn’t seen her picture earlier, however he did catch a glance of the photo frames, and was smitten by her, if that was her, he thought to himself.

He was mentally preparing the questions in his mind, when she walked in and stood by the couch. She was nervous as hell. He smiled at her, she smiled back. The Hall went quiet, till her father broke the silence, by asking the elderly to give her and Karthik some time alone.

Some time alone!!!!, she thought, how would she decide???

She sat facing him, and looked at him as he started a conversation, about what he does, his likes and dislikes, and asked her opinion on various issues. He made her comfortable. Her nervousness disappeared with him , she felt like she had known him since  ages..

How could that be?? She thought to herself, why did I feel like I already know him so well. His dimpled smile made her blush. She knew he “was the one”… she immediately took a liking to him, and knew what she was going to tell her family.

Zahera, they said they are unable to proceed .

“mmmm”, was all she said.

Well I do not know him at all, not that he promised me anything, why cannot I take him off my mind, she thought to herself, well time should heal all wounds… she kept repeating that to herself.

What may have been the reason??, for him not saying a yes, she thought a she looked at herself in the mirror. The mirror reflected a vision draped in emotions that her eyes couldn’t hold, they dripped from those eyes on to her bare shoulders…

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6 months later …

They say time heals all wounds, but hers seemed fresh and open . She was in his town, she was hoping to catch a glance of him, but she knew how silly that felt.

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A year had passed, Zahera did think about him , however , she let go of his thought, knowing that he would be married off to someone by now. She knew somewhere some girl, was very lucky to have found him.

She was at her friend’s wedding, dressed in a beautiful sari that did wonders to her slender frame. She was running about with some last minute requirements, when she tripped of the stairs and had it not been for someone who held her hand tight, she would have found herself  crying with pain. She slowly opened her tightly shut eyes. The fall frightened her so much that it took her some time to recompose herself, and acknowledge the person who prevented the fall.

““thank you so much” , she rushed off to the washroom, to compose herself, realizing only later that she did not know who had helped her.

The wedding continued with much enthusiasm. Zahera was in high spirits and danced the night away. 

Occasionally she did feel someone’s eyes on her, but she just let go off that thought. She was dancing and swirled to find herself in someone’s arms. She flushed with embarrassment, and apologized before looking at Karthik. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. He looked at her smiled, and pecked her on her cheeks…

“You look beautiful Zahera”

She was dumbstruck, and was lost for words…. “Are you married” , she immediately regretted asking him that, and looked away.

Both of them didn’t bother to let go off the other.

He smiled, “No Zahera, you were on my mind, and I couldn’t be with someone else”

“why did you make me wait for so long Karthik??, why did you refuse me earlier”

 ………….

She yawned and stretched herself , “I’ll have to think of a good reason, she thought to herself”, she was caught in a rush of her thoughts, when Nitin embraced her and pecked her on her cheeks , “Kitna intezaar karaogi huh, my beautiful writer, so how far has the story moved on, kyat um humme chod ke , Karthik ke paas chale jaooge?” , he asked with mock sadness ..

Zahera, stood up, facing Nitin, with a smile on her lips, she kissed him and “ you caught me from falling off, had you let go, the pain would have been unbearable”.

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Two years later ….

Arranged marriage,  is a Book by Author Zahera Nitin . It’s her first book, however, her writing skills are …..

Zahera snatched the write –up from Nitin, and devoured into the contents on the newspaper. She looked up at NItin, and screamed in delight , and hugged him tight ....

P:S -  Dedicated to all those who believe in LOVE